Buck5050
Underground Chucker
I wanted to highlight how I personally go about collecting pollen. I feel this method is fairly streamlined and easy to do for most small growers who are trying to make some of their own seed.
A couple of things to keep in mind when messing around with pollen:
1. It is very messy and impossible to contain
2. It also can almost become invisible once it is airborne
3. If your lungs are sensitive wear something to protect yourself
4. Static electricity can make certain tools very difficult to use.
5. Moisture can neutralize and make pollen inert.
Some of the items I used to collect and store pollen:
Parchment paper
clothespins type clips
plastic scraper
tweezers
plant ties
trimming snips
mini-centrifuge vial
baked rice
For me, I have found that using parchment paper is a must. This stuff is foldable and the pollen will separate from it with very little effort. I also ended up grabbing a plastic dome but any container will work as long as it is more than a few inches deep.
I tore off enough paper to form a bowl-like catch container. I used some clips to secure the paper in place. A few wrinkles and creases here and there aren't going to hurt anything at this point.
For this example, I am using a male but you could do this with a reversed female also. Best results are had once you see about half the male flowers opened and pollen already has started to fall onto the lower leaves. With some snips, I end up taking a few of the bigger leaves off so that pollen can fall freely.
Once that is done, I snipped off some mature tops and take them to a location that there is little air movement. Moving male flowers around like this will release pollen. I move very slow and cover them while I transport.
Using some plant ties I group a few tops together and tie them like I was going to hang dry any other herb.
I place the catch container underneath and hang the flowers in a dry location with very little air movement. Totes work well.
Over the course of a few days, pollen will fall on its own. I do also tap on the tops lightly here and there which helps release a bit more pollen. A few male flowers and drier plant material will fall with the pollen.
Using tweezers or a plastic scraper I remove the majority of plant material and discard it. Pick up the container and tilt. Tapping lightly move the pollen into a pile. On this final stretch is where you'll want to not drop or even shake the paper too much. Un-clip and remove the parchment paper from the container. Gently fold it while considering the pollen on the inside. I hold it on a slight angle and lightly tap it and the heavier plan materials fall away from the pollen making it very easy to remove. You'll want to move the pollen around with the scrapper or a plastic business card while keeping an eye for specs of unwanted or leftover material. It doesn't take long to be left with pure pollen!
I use rice to help keep the pollen dry while I store it, so I place a few inside a vial. Once I have the pollen in a pile I crease the end of the parchment paper and poured into the vial. Tapping the parchment paper helps it slide down the crease. I also thought about using the scrappers and picking it up and filling the vial by hand. Either way would be effective.
I always keep a spray bottle handy so I can spray the area after I am done working with this stuff. I spray the tools and the paper and even the leftover male flowers before I dispose of them. If you have females in flower, change your clothes and always be aware that this stuff can get everywhere.
A couple of things to keep in mind when messing around with pollen:
1. It is very messy and impossible to contain
2. It also can almost become invisible once it is airborne
3. If your lungs are sensitive wear something to protect yourself
4. Static electricity can make certain tools very difficult to use.
5. Moisture can neutralize and make pollen inert.
Some of the items I used to collect and store pollen:
Parchment paper
clothespins type clips
plastic scraper
tweezers
plant ties
trimming snips
mini-centrifuge vial
baked rice
For me, I have found that using parchment paper is a must. This stuff is foldable and the pollen will separate from it with very little effort. I also ended up grabbing a plastic dome but any container will work as long as it is more than a few inches deep.
I tore off enough paper to form a bowl-like catch container. I used some clips to secure the paper in place. A few wrinkles and creases here and there aren't going to hurt anything at this point.
For this example, I am using a male but you could do this with a reversed female also. Best results are had once you see about half the male flowers opened and pollen already has started to fall onto the lower leaves. With some snips, I end up taking a few of the bigger leaves off so that pollen can fall freely.
Once that is done, I snipped off some mature tops and take them to a location that there is little air movement. Moving male flowers around like this will release pollen. I move very slow and cover them while I transport.
Using some plant ties I group a few tops together and tie them like I was going to hang dry any other herb.
I place the catch container underneath and hang the flowers in a dry location with very little air movement. Totes work well.
Over the course of a few days, pollen will fall on its own. I do also tap on the tops lightly here and there which helps release a bit more pollen. A few male flowers and drier plant material will fall with the pollen.
Using tweezers or a plastic scraper I remove the majority of plant material and discard it. Pick up the container and tilt. Tapping lightly move the pollen into a pile. On this final stretch is where you'll want to not drop or even shake the paper too much. Un-clip and remove the parchment paper from the container. Gently fold it while considering the pollen on the inside. I hold it on a slight angle and lightly tap it and the heavier plan materials fall away from the pollen making it very easy to remove. You'll want to move the pollen around with the scrapper or a plastic business card while keeping an eye for specs of unwanted or leftover material. It doesn't take long to be left with pure pollen!
I use rice to help keep the pollen dry while I store it, so I place a few inside a vial. Once I have the pollen in a pile I crease the end of the parchment paper and poured into the vial. Tapping the parchment paper helps it slide down the crease. I also thought about using the scrappers and picking it up and filling the vial by hand. Either way would be effective.
I always keep a spray bottle handy so I can spray the area after I am done working with this stuff. I spray the tools and the paper and even the leftover male flowers before I dispose of them. If you have females in flower, change your clothes and always be aware that this stuff can get everywhere.
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